GM 27: RAPID REACTS

I like the fact that Lavoy saw increased minutes in last night’s game (21.3 mpg over last 10) as I’d rather have him on the floor than Kwame. He did some nice things with those extra ticks, like the 2 OREBs he grabbed in one trip at the 3:40 mark of the 3rd Q. Or also in the 3rd, the help D that he supplied on which he tied up J-Smoove for a jump ball.

He’s been simply amazing this year and last night he posted what might have been he best all-around game of the season. Two stretches of his play really stick out for me. In the 3rd Q he had a steal that led to a break; then he tipped in a Holiday miss and after that he drew a charge. The OREB play in the 3rd Q where he battled for the ball 3 times on the glass before grabbing it and putting it back in was also stellar. He’s now scored in double figures in 17 straight games.

Turner is so much better when he is not playing the point. His stretch of play to open the 4th Q was fantastic — shot clock beating FG; slam on the break and then a beauty of a dime to Thad on the blocks.

J-Rich got off to a fast start — 8 points; 7 dimes; 3 rebounds and 2 steals — in the 1st half and had a very solid overall game. His FGM made to open the 2nd half was huge. His beautiful post up, spin move and kiss off the glass in the 3rd Q put the Sixers up 10 and IMO was the knock out blow for the Hawks (even though the run by Louis got them within 8).

If he can give us this production every night, we’ll make the playoffs (sarcasm here).

Nick Young, SG10 MIN | 1-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 2 PTS | -6

I’d like to see his minutes further reduced.

Kwame Brown, CDNP COACH’S DECISION MIN | FG | FT | REB | AST | PTS |

DNP — CD…That’s what I’m talking ’bout !!!!

After the Jump, Six Things We Saw

1. The 3rd Q put this one away for the 7-6. They held the Hawks to 19 points (35 for the half) while the Sixers went 10-26 on FGAs and grabbed 10 OREBs. Their energy caught the Hawks by surprise and the Sixers defense was outstanding in the Q. The lead ballooned to 16 at one point before…

2. Former Sixers guard (and the most polarizing player in Philadunkia history) Louis Williams gave us a reminder of what he can do offensively. Louis scored 10 of the Hawks 19 points in the 3rd Q, including a stretch of 8 straight that took the Sixers lead from 16 down to 8. DC got a timeout at this point. The Sixers got a bucket out of the TO, ended the Hawks run and then went into cruise control.

3. Is anyone else astonished at how much trouble the Sixers had with the Hawks zone defense in the 1st half? I’ve seen high school teams recognize a zone faster and adjust accordingly. When faced with a zone, ball and player movement is the key for any offense at any level. The Sixers stood around like statues and pounded the rock into the floor too much.

4. Some interesting numbers from the 1st half of this one…9 FB points for the Sixers; 9 OREBs for the Hawks…Both teams only attempted 5 FTs…The Sixers scored 13 points off of 8 ATL turnovers…Hawks only shot 42% in first half (YEAH)…The Sixers had 22 buckets on 18 assists in the half…The Sixers shot 52.5% on FGAs and 62.5% from deep.

5. After playing terrible defense down in TExas, the Sixers gave a much better effort on that end of the floor last night. Outside of J-Smoove’s 13 point outburst in the 1st Q, the Sixers kept the Hawks under wraps — the Sixers held the Hawks to 39 percent shooting. That’s s a 6% dip off Atlanta’s average. I also thought the bigs did a much better job of supplying help defense and made quicker rotations.

6. As you may have heard, The Sixers have assigned rookie forward Arnett Moultrie to our D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Moultrie, who as we all know, the Sixers gave up a future 1st round pick in a draft-night trade from Miami to acquire, has appeared in 11 games for the Sixers, playing a total of 61 minutes. “It doesn’t do any good flying around the country and staying in hotels and getting per diem,” Collins said. “He has to play.”

IMO just a terrible decision. DC — Yes, the kid needs to be playing every night — for the Sixers.